Spinning smoker&#39;s stand



ug. 26, 1958 M. LANGBAUM SPINNING sNoKERs STAND 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 1'?, 195? MURRFY LHNGBHUM BY m HTTUENEI Aug. 26, 1958 M. LANGB'AUMSPINNING sMoKER's STAND 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 17, 1957 l HTTURNE'YMURRHY LFINGBHUM Patented Aug. 26, 1958 SPINNING SMOKERS STAND MurrayLangbanm, East Hills, N. Y. Application June 17, 1957, Serial No.665,996 6 Claims. (Cl. 232-43.2)

This invention relates to smokers stands, and more particularly hasreference to a stand of the type in which is incorporated a spinning ashreceiver closure:

In smokers stands of the character described, the upwardly opening ashreceiver is provided with a closure which is normally in a closedposition. The closure constitutes the bottom of an ash tray, and isadapted to be depressed for the purpose of causing cigarette butts andashes to be transferred from the tray to a receptacle below the tray orclosure. Means is provided, in a device of the character stated, forimparting rapidly spinning movement to the closure as it is depressed,so that the ashes will be whirled off the same by centrifugal force.

Ash receivers of the character described have the disadvantage that mostusually it is rather difficult to clean the same. The spinning typeclosure must be separated from the ash receiver, or held in openposition, and this is a decided inconvenience to the worker whose dutyit is to clean the smokers stand.

The inconvenience is heightened, by reason of the fact that mostusually, a smokers stand of the character stated will be used in variouspublic places, in quantity, as for example, in hotel lobbys, smokerslounges of railroad cars, etc. When one must, as a result, clean asubstantial number of the smokers stands one after another, consider*able time is lost by reason of the present construction of such devices.

Accordingly, one important object of the present invention is to providea smokers stand having an ash receiver normally fully closed by theclosure device of the spinning type previously referred to herein. Inaccordance with the invention it is proposed that said receiver beswiftly and easily depressed, without requiring any movement of thespinning type closure, to a position such as to expose the interior ofthe receiver and permit removal from the receiver of a bowl or containerdisposed therein. A clean container can be then positioned in thereceiver and the receiver returns to its normal position.

Another object is to provide a smokers stand of the character describedwhich will have the decidedly benecial `characteristics noted, but whichWill be so designed as to be seemingly a completely conventional standnot having the novel means for depressing the receiver to a positionexposing the interior thereof.

Another object is to provide a smokers stand of the character describedwhich will be characterized by the relatively low cost thereof,considering the benets to be obtained from the use thereof.

Still another object is to so form the depressible receiver that it willnot interfere with the normal operation of the spinning typeclosure.

In another form of the invention, it is an important object to providemeans which will cause the receiver to move to a depressed positionresponsive merely to depression of a latch. p

Still another object, in the form of the invention referred toimmediately above, is to incorporate in the construction means that willpartially eject the removable bowl whenever the closure automaticallyshifts to its depressed position on releasing of the latch.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

in the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a smokers stand according to the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the upper portion of the stand,separated from the lower portion, as seen from the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the smokers stand.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the stand partially in side elevation andpartly in longitudinal section, with the ash receiver in its normal,raised position, the closure being shown in full and dotted lines in itsnormal and depressed .positions respectively.

Fig. 6 is a view of the stand partially in side elevation and partly inlongitudinally section, portions being broken away, with the ashreceiver depressed.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modied construction, withthe ash receiver means being shown in full and dotted lines in itsnormal and lowered positions respectively.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, detail sectional view substantially on line 8 8of Fig. 7, showing the latch means.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view on substantially the same scaleas Fig. 8, of the latch means and the mount therefor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the smokers stand constituting thepresent invention includes, at its lower end, a Hat, circular base plate10 lying in a horizontal plane and integrally formed at its peripherywith a depending marginal flange 11. In face-to-face contact with theunderside of base plate 10 is a correspondingly peripherally flangedreinforcement plate 12. Adjacent the peripheries of plates 10, 12, pairsof diametrically opposed, registering openings are formed in therespective plates, and are smooth-walled. Extending downwardly throughthe registering openings are the reduced,'threaded, axial extensions 14formed on the lower ends of elongated, vertical standards 16 that extendupwardly from the base constituted by the plates 10, 12. Nuts 18 arethreaded onto the extensions 14, against the underside of the plate 12,to lixedly secure the standards to the base.

integrally formed on the plate 12 is a vertically, upwardly extendingcenter boss 2t) which is tubularly formed as shown, and which isexternally threaded to receive an internally threaded nut 22. Nut 22 isexternally threaded, to engage internal threads formed in the lower endof an elongated, vertical, tubular support post 24.

Post 24, at its upper end, abuts the lower end of a tubular connectorpiece 26, which' is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the upper endof the post. The connector piece 26, at its upper end, has a thick topwall formed with a large, threaded center opening 28. Thus, theconnector piece 26 may be appropriately considered as being of invertedcup shape, with a large opening in its upper end. Snugly engaged in theconnector piece 26 is a thick, axially bored block 32 of afriction-producing, compressible material, such as packing, felt, or thelike.

An extension 34 of the post is of hollow formation, and snugly engagedtherein is an upper block 36, formed ofthe same material as the block32. The extension 34, at its upper end, may beswaged or otherwise closedover the block 36, imparting .a tapering formation to the extension 34,as clearly shown in the drawings.

Extension 34 is centrally formed, at its lower end, with a depending,axial extension 38, and the extension 38 is externally threaded tosnugly engage in the opening 28.

It will thus be seen that a post means is provided, symmetricallydisposed in respect to and between the standards 16. Said post means isconstituted `by the post 24, the connector piece 26', and the extension34, and by the blocks 32, 36. It will be seen that the post means is ofhollow formation, having a reduced axial bore at its upper end definedby the co-axially aligned bores of the blocks 32, 36, and of thedepending extension or projection 38.

In the upper end of the extension 34 there is formed a center opening39, aligned with the bores of the blocks 32, 36 and slidably engaged inthe opening 39 is the lower end portion of an elongated, tubular supportmember 40. Member 40 extends axially of and within the post means, andis snugly engaged in the bores of the blocks 32, 36. To preventaccidental movement of the member 40 upwardly out of the post means, thelower end 42 thereof may be peened over or upset as shown.

The member 40, by reason of the frictional engagement of the blocksagainst the same, vis held in selected positions to which it ismanually, slidably shifted axially of the post means. Thus, in oneextreme position of the member 40 it is disposed as in Fig. 5 and isextended to the maximum extent from the post means. Blocks 32, 36frictionally engage the member 40 to hold the same extended. However,with comparatively little vmanual elort, the member 40 can be shifteddownwardly, sliding in the blocks and remaining in any position to whichit is so shifted, as for example, in the lower extreme position of themember 40 shown in Fig. 6.

Supported upon the upper end of member 40 is an upwardly opening,approximately hemispherical ash receiver 42. Thi-s is formed with acenter opening receiving, loosely, the threaded upper end of the member40. Washers 44 are disposed in contact with the opposite faces of thereceiver 42, and nuts 46, 48, threaded upon the member 40, are threadedtoward each other against the washers to `thus lixedly secure thereceiver 42 to the member 40.

The smokers stand includes a Hat, circular top plate 50 lying in a planenormal to the lengths of the post means and member 40. The top plate 50is dependingly, peripherally hanged at 52, and inwardly from the angehas diametrically opposite Openings. Underlying the openings of plate 50are parallel, wide brace plates- 54 ('s'ee Fig. 3), and extendingdownwardly through the openings of the top plate are the parallel legsof a handle 56 of inverted U-shape. Said legs at their lower ends areroughened to xedly engage in the upper ends of the tubular vstandards16. The standards 16 are externally threaded at their upper ends,engaging in openings of the brace plate and threaded on the standardsare nuts 58 bearing against the brace plates.

This provides for xed connection of the plate 50, handle S6, andstandards 16 to one another. It will be understood that various othermeans might be employed, within the spirit of the invention, to effectthe desired connection of these parts.

The top plate 50 has a large center opening, surrounded by an upwardlyprojecting wall 58, straddled by a ring 60 of inverted U-shape when seenin cross section at any location on its circumference (see Fig.

A spinning type closure means' is incorporated in the device, and sincesuch means are, per se, conventional, said means will not be describedin detail herein. It is sufcient to note that said means includes anupwardly projecting plunger 62, having a knob at its upper end, saidplunger projecting upwardly, .centrally within the opening of the ltopplate. Adjacent the lower end of the Aplunger there is a crossbar 64forming a rest .for cigarettes or cigars, and below the crossbar 64(which is "lixedly secured in ,position extending diametrically acrossthe -n'ng 60) there is provided a at, circular receiver plate 66,dependingly, peripherally flanged and normally bearing against the edgeportion of the opening of the top plate. The plate 66 is held by awasher 68 overlying a head 70 of a spindle that extends axially of theplunger.

The construction is such that when the knob is depressed in respect tothe tube 62, the closure plate 66 will not only be depressed to thedotted line position, but also, will be caused to whirl rapidly as itmoves to its lower position, so as to cause the ashes to be whirled offthe same into an upwardly opening, glass, hemispherical bowl orreceptacle 72 removably seated within the receiver 42.

Normally, the member 40 is shifted upwardly to dispose the receiver 42in full contact at its periphery with the underside of the top plate 50,about the opening of the top plate. Bowl 72 is disposed within thereceiver, and when the closure plate is depressed, the ashes will becaused to move into the bowl 72.

At such time as it may be desired to clean the smokers stand, the member40 is lowered to the Fig. 6 position, so that the receiver is nowpositioned a substantial distance downwardly from the top plate,permitting ready access to bowl 72. The bowl could thus be removed andcan be easily cleaned and put back in the receiver, after which thereceiver is returned to its normal position shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of cleaning the lstand, of course, is done withoutrequiring any interference with the spinning type closure means.

In Figs. 7-9, the smokers stand is identical to that previouslydescribed herein, with the exception that the reinforcing plate 12a ofthe base has a slightly longer axial projection 20?' than is true of theplate 12 having projection 20. Projection 20ab thus extends upwardlyabove nut 22 within the post means, and has an opening to which ishooked the lower end of an elongated, contractile spring 78. The upperend of the spring 78 is hooked to .the inner end 4of the member 40.

In Lthis `form of 4the invention, further, the bowl 472a has a flatbottom spaced upwardly from the bottom of the Areceiver 42, as shown in-full lines in Fig. 7. integrally formed upon the `bottom of the bowl72a is a depending projection or boss 74, about which is engaged one endof a compression, coil spring 76, the other end of which engages about anut 48.

A right-angular latch or detent 80 (see Figs. 8 and 9) has an Aouteryend thickened and circularly formed to provide a. nge-r or Athumb restl82. A-t its opposite end, the vertical, upwardly projecting leg of thelatch is integrally formed -with a forwardly projecting, pointed pin 84,adapted to engage 4in a complementary opening 86 formed in the side wallof the member 40 (Fig. 8).

Adjacent the juncture of the angularly related legs of the latch, thereis integrally formed on the underside of the latch transversely alignedbearing lugs 88, adapted to be embraced `by upwardly projecting earsfixedly secured to the tapered upper portion of the extension 34H. Theseveral registering openings of the ears and bearing lugs receive apivot pin 92, mounting the latch for swinging movement .between the fullland dotted line positions of Fig. 7.

A torsion spring 94 has oppositely extending end portions, one of which'bears against a verticalleg of the latch, and the other of which bearsagainst the wall of the extension 34a. YIntermediate its ends, spring 94has a lcoil loosely passed about the pin 92 within a slot 96 of thelatch. The spring ,is tensioned to normally bias the latchcounterclockwise in Fig. 7, to its latching, full line position.

In use of this form of the invention, the member 40 is first manuallyraised to its full line position. When the member 40 is raised to itsmaximum extent, the pin 84 will engage in opening .86, holding themember in the raised' position against the opposing pull of the Vspring78. Bowl 72a bears against the underside of the top plate 50 at thistime, being firmly held against the ltop by the spring 76, which is heldunder compression between the bowl and the receiver.

The smokers stand is used in the same manner as in the rst form of theinvention, and the spinning type closure is depressed as previouslydescribed for depositing ashes in the bowl.

Assuming that it is desired to clean the stand, one merely exerts alight downward pressure on the thumb rest of the latch, biasing thelatch to its dotted line position against the restraint of spring 94 toshift pin 84 out of opening 86. Spring 78 is now free to contract, andimmediately pulls the post 40 downwardly.

It is important to note that the post is not abruptly snapped to thelower position at this time. Instead, the frictional engagement of theblocks 36, 32 with the member 40 serves to set up a braking action, soas to brake or retard the downward movement of the member 40. The member40 thus moves comparatively rapidly, but not overly so, to its lowerposition, since spring 78 exceeds in its-V pulling force the restraintimposed upon the member 40 by the blocks 32, 36, to a predeterminedextent.

As the post 40 moves to its lower position, the receiver and the bowlmove downwardly out of engagement with the top plate 50. As a result,the spring 76 is now free to expand, and causes the bowl 72a to pop up,that is, said spring 76 partially ejects the bowl with the bowl nowbeing in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7, in respect to thedotted line position of the receiver 42 shown in this ligure of thedrawing. As a result, the top portion of the bowl is now located so thatit can be easily grasped for effecting the complete removal of the bowlfrom the receiver.

When the stand is to be again placed in use, the bowl is put back in thereceiver, and the receiver and member 40 are manually shifted upwardlyto their full line position of Fig. 7, with latch 82 engagingautomatically in the opening 86 when the receiver reaches its uppermostposition.

It thus becomes apparent that merely responsive to depression of thelatch 82, the receiver moves automatically to its lower position, and atthe same time, the bowl is partially ejected so as to be capable ofbeing grasped conveniently.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardlytherefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, meanslixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position verticallyspaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopicallyadjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means,ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving meansbeing engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position ofsaid member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in anotherposition of the member for ready access to the interior of theash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptaclerigid with said member and a bowl removably s-eated in the receptacle,the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper endthereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which themember extends, said material binding against the member in selectedpositions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold themember in said positions of telescopic adjustment.

2. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardlytherefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, meansiixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position verticallyspaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopicallyadjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means,ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving meansbeing engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position ofsaid member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in anotherposition of the member for ready access to the interior of theash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptaclerigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle,the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper endthereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which themember extends, said material binding against the member in selectedpositions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold themember in said positions of telescopic adjustment, saidfriction-producing material being in the form of a plurality of blocksspaced axially of the post means and member.

3. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardlytherefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, meansfixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position verticallyspaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopicallyadjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means,ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving meansbeing engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position ofsaid member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in anotherposition of the member for ready access to the interior of theash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptaclerigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle,the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper endthereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which themember extends, said material binding against the member in selectedpositions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold themember in said positions of telescopic adjustment, the ash-receivingmeans including a spring held under compression between the bowl andreceptacle for partially ejecting the bowl responsive to movement of thebowl and receptacle away from the top plate out of engagement therewith.

4. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardlytherefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, meanslixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position verticallyspaced upwardly from the post means, a support member telescopicallyadjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means,ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving meansbeing engaged against the underside ofthe top plate in one position ofsaid member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in anotherposition of the member for ready access to the interior of theash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptaclerigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle,the post means being ho-llowly formed and including, in the upper endthereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which themember extends, said material binding against the member in selectedpositions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold themember in said positions of telescopic adjustment, the ash-receivingmeans including a spring held under compression between the bowl andreceptacle forpartially ejecting the bowl responsive to movement of thebowl and receptacle away from the top plate out of engagement therewith,said stand further including a contractile spring connected between saidmember and the base for normally shifting the member in a direction awayfrom the top plate, whereby to permit partial ejection of the bowl onmovement of the member away from the top plate under the pull of 7 thecontractile spring, and latch means carried by the post means andnormally engaging said member in an upper position thereof in which thebowl and receptacle are in engagement with the top plate, thecontractile springk being of a force adapted to overcome the restrainingforce of the friction-producing material on shifting of the latch meansout of engagement with said member, whereby to effect retraction of saidmember within the post means at a predetermined, retarded rate.

5. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardlytherefrom, a top plate having a central ash-receiving opening, meansxedly connecting the top plate to the base in position vertically spacedupwardly from the post means, a support member telescopically adjustablewithin and projecting upwardly from the post means, ash-receiving meanscarried by'said member, said ash-receiving means being engaged againstthe underside of the top plate in one position of said member and beingexposed downwardly from the top plate in another position of the memberfor ready access to the interior of the ash-receiving means, theash-receiving means including a receptacle rigid with said member and abowl removably seated in the receptacle, the post means being hollowlyformed and including, in the upper end thereof, axially boredfriction-producing material through which the member extends, saidmaterial binding against the member in selected positions to which themember is telescopically adjusted to hold the member in said positionsof telescopic adjustment, the ash-receiving means including a springheld under compression between the bowl and receptacle for partiallyejecting the bowl responsive to movement of the bowl and receptacle awayfrom the top plate out of engagement therewith, said stand furtherincluding a contractile spring connected between said member and thebase for normally shifting the member in a direction away from the topplate, whereby to permit partial ejection of the bowl on movement of themember away from the top plate under the pull of the contractile spring,and latch means carried by the post means and normally engaging saidmember in an upper position thereof in which the bowl and receptacle arein engagement with the top plate, the contractile spring being of aforce adapted to overcome the restraining force of thefriction-producing material on shifting of the latch means out ofengagement with said member, whereby to effect retraction of said memberwithin the post means at a predetermined, retarded rate, the latch meanscomprising a detent pivotally mounted upon the post means and includinga pin projecting toward said member, said member having an aperturereceiving the pin in the extended position4 of said member.

6. A smokers stand comprising a base, post means extending upwardlytherefrom, a top plate havingv a central ash-receiving opening, meanstixedly connecting the top plate to the base in position verticallyspaced upwardly from the post means, asupport member telescopicallyadjustable within and projecting upwardly from the post means,ash-receiving means carried by said member, said ash-receiving meansbeing engaged against the underside of the top plate in one position ofsaid member and being exposed downwardly from the top plate in anotherposition of the member for ready access to the interior of theash-receiving means, the ash-receiving means including a receptaclerigid with said member and a bowl removably seated in the receptacle,the post means being hollowly formed and including, in the upper endthereof, axially bored friction-producing material through which themember extends, said material binding against the member in selectedpositions to which the member is telescopically adjusted to hold themember in said positions of telescopic adjustment, the ash-receivingmeans including a spring held under compression between the bowl andreceptacle for partially ejecting the bowl responsive to movement of thebowl and receptacle away from the top plate out of engagement therewith,said stand further including a contractile spring connected between saidmember and the base for normally shifting the member in a direction awayfrom the top plate, whereby to permit partial ejection of the bowl onmovement of the member away from the top plate under the pull of thecontractile spring, and latch means carried by the post means andnormally engaging said member in an upper position thereof in which thebowl and receptacle are in engagement with the top plate, thecontractile spring being of a force adapted to overcome the restrainingforce of the friction-producing material on shifting of the latch meansout of engagement with said member, whereby to effect retraction of saidmember Within the post means at a predetermined, retarded rate, thelatch means comprising a detent pivotally mounted upon the post meansand including a pin projecting toward said member, said member having anaperture receiving the pin in the extended position of said member, saidlatch means being spring biased in the direction of said member andincluding a handle for swinging the latch means against the spring biasthereof out of engagement with said member.

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